1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital signal processing apparatus, and more particularly, is applicable to an array processor for concurrently and digitally process image signals in real time.
2. Description of the Related Art
Serial video processors (SVP) have been known as array processors of the above kind (see "SVP: Serial Video Processor", IEEE 1990 CUSTOM INTEGRATED CIRCUITS CONFERENCE, p17.3.1). References on such processors include "Serial Video Processor Seminar Handbook" from Texas instruments Co. Ltd.
This processor comprises a one-dimensional array of 1,024 one-bit processor elements which constitute a single instruction multiple data (SIMD) architecture. The SIMD method allows a plurality of arithmetic and logic units and data to execute the same operation according to an instruction in the same flow.
In recent years, due to demand for the processing of high-speed and high-rate signals such as images in real time, these processors are required to have functions that provide both sufficiently high arithmetic performance and programmability that enables various applications to be processed. The reduction of power consumption and costs is also required.
Recent processors are also required to process high definition HD signals in addition to standard image signals such as NTSC signals.
Conventional methods that match the architecture with each image signal method, however, cannot avoid the provision of useless processors that do not operate when different image signals are provided on a image line. Thus, it is necessary to provide processors that can process different image signals based on different methods and also provide sufficient processing performance.
In addition, as multimedia applications gain more and more popularity, signal processing for images becomes more and more complicated, resulting in demand for high signal processing performance. Processors for such applications, however, are likely to be large and complicated, so it is necessary to provide a configuration that constitutes a simple control circuit with a small area but which provides sufficient programmability to implement not only various calculations but also high-level applications such as rate converters.